I was standing in the kitchen helping with dinner, asking my mom about my brother's doctor ' s appointment. They were testing him for autism(自闭症 ) . My brother, Captain, four years old at the time, had always been my best friend. We would wrestle, play games and have the best of times together, even though we were far apart in age. My mom told me about the appointment, but ,when she got to the point about the test, she stopped. I turned around and she had tears in her eyes. I stared at her, wishing she would say something , when I realized what that silence meant. My eyes got blurry (模糊的 ) and my breathing got very ragged. " The test was positive , sweetheart , " she said. I broke down, crying.
My mom was trying to cool me down, saying that Captain couldn't see me like this and I had to be a big girl , when the front door opened, and Captain, our three-year-old sister Cali, and my father came in. I walked out of the kitchen. I couldn't look at him. Everything had just changed. He was no longer that little baby brother who was just a normal little boy.
We had to move a while later because Captain needed treatment. One day ,I was standing in the bus line waiting when the " short bus" came and picked some kids up. The children in the other line started making jokes about the " retards(智力迟钝者) " on that bus and I felt a strange feeling in my stomach, ,which I had never felt before.
During a band class, my teacher, Mrs. Young, stopped our playing to give us some feed- back. " Guys ,we ' re playing like the kids on the short bus ! Come on!" I felt that same feeling I had in the bus line. The entire room was laughing when I raised my hand. " Yes , Alexis?" Mrs. Young asked. "I don't think we should make fun of the short bus, because there are a lot of people on that bus who have great personalities and have the same feelings as we do. And also ,I know some people on those buses and they are some of the most caring, sweetest, and smartest people , so I would appreciate it if you didn't make fun of them. "
Everyone stared at me. Mrs. Young apologized for the comment and then started the song again. What did Alexis think her mother' s silence mean in Paragraph One?
| A．There was no chance for Alexis to play games with Captain. |
| B．Captain was likely to miss the appointment. |
| C．Captain really suffered from autism. |
| D．Alexis had to prepare dinner quickly. |
Why did Alexis go out of the kitchen?
| A．Because she didn't want to help with dinner. |
| B．Because she would be much sadder looking at Captain. |
| C．Because she wanted to play with Captain outside. |
| D．Because she wasn't willing to meet a sick brother. |
What Alexis said to her teacher can be seen as a kind of .
| A．threat | B．approval | C．apology | D．condemnation |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Speaking up. | B．Giving up. | C．Looking .up. | D．Taking up. |
One day, President Lincoln went to a party. At the gathering, a man called Douglas was repeatedly talking about Lincoln’s low position in life and saying that he first met Lincoln when he was a shop assistant at a village shop. Finally he said, “And Mr. Lincoln was a very good waiter too.”
People burst into laughter, but they quieted down when Mr. Lincoln said quietly.
“Gentlemen, what Mr. Douglas has said is true. I did keep a grocery(杂货店), and I did sell cotton, candles and cigars, and sometimes whiskey(威士忌酒). But I remember that in those days Mr. Douglas was one of my best customers. I often stood on one side of the counter(柜台) and sold whiskey to Mr. Douglas on the other side, but the difference between us now is: I have left my side of the counter, but Mr. Douglas still sticks to his as firmly as ever.”Where was Douglas talking about Lincoln’s low position in life?
| A．At home | B．At a grocery |
| C．At a gathering | D．In a restaurant |
Douglas was repeatedly talking about Lincoln’s low position in life because _____
| A．he was friendly to Lincoln. |
| B．Lincoln was an example to show that an American of low position can also rise up in life. |
| C．he wanted others to look down upon Lincoln. |
| D．he wanted to tell other people about Lincoln’s honesty as a shop assistant. |
How did Lincoln win the oral competition?
| A．By telling about his low position in life in his early days. |
| B．By making fun of Douglas’ low position now. |
| C．By proving Douglas was telling lies. |
| D．By comparing his present position with Douglas. |
What do you suppose the sentence “Mr. Douglas still sticks to his as firmly as ever means?”
| A．Douglas was still talking about Lincoln’s low position in life. |
| B．Douglas was still standing on the other side of the counter. |
| C．Douglas remained a drunkard and had not changed a bit. |
| D．Douglas kept on going to parties and speaking ill of Lincoln. |
In nature, you may see many insects and animals of different colors. Have you ever wondered why?
Locusts （蝗虫）are super delicious food for birds, but it is not always an easy job for birds to catch them. It is neither because locusts are good jumpers or runners nor because they are smarter than their enemies（敌人）. The reason is that the colors of locusts change with the colors of crops （庄稼）. When crops are young, locusts look green. But when autumn comes, locusts change to the yellow and brown color as crops do.
Brown bears, tigers and other animals move quietly through forests. They can’t be seen easily by their enemies. This is because they have colors similar to the trees. For the same reason, polar bears that live on a land of snow and ice are white. Butterflies （蝴蝶）and bees living among the flowers are colorful like flowers. Soil insects are mostly dark-colored and they live under the soil in a dark and wet environment. However, insects with colors different from plants can easily be found and eaten by others. So in order to survive, they have to hide themselves in the daytime and appear only at night.
Have you ever noticed some even stranger acts（行为）? The ink fish in the sea can send out some very black ink when it faces danger. As the ink spreads over, its enemies will find themselves in a dark world. At the same time the ink fish immediately swims away. That is how it keeps itself safe though it is not strong at all. According to the passage, most soil insects ______
| A．do not have bright colors |
| B．change their colors with the soil |
| C．do not live in a dark and wet environment. |
| D．eat colorful insects like butterflies and bees. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “survive” in the passage?
| A．繁殖 | B．产卵 | C．觅食 | D．生存 |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．Some insects and animals have different skills. |
| B．Some insects and animals are cleverer than we think. |
| C．Some insects and animals use colors to protect themselves. |
| D．Some insects and animals can get used to the environment easily. |
Where did Li Hua see Mrs Daniels’ advertisement?
| A．At London University. | B．In a newspaper |
| C．On the Internet. | D．On TV. |
Why did Li Hua write the Email?
| A．To make friends with Mrs Daniels. |
| B．To apply to study at London University. |
| C．To get more information about Mrs Daniels’ lessons. |
| D．To find out more information about Aston College. |
Which of the following information did Li Hua NOT mention in his email?
| A．His age |
| B．His reasons for learning English |
| C．His language level |
| D．The language skills he wants to focus on. |
Li Hua wants to take the lessons to improve his ______.
| A．listening and writing | B．writing and speaking |
| C．listening and grammar | D．listening and speaking |
San Francisco has many museums. You can visit one and learn something new. We have art, science, history and other special museums. Some museums are open every day. Some are only open on certain days. Some museums are expensive, and others are free. But some of the expensive ones have free days. Many museums have websites. The websites usually have information about the things you can see in the museums.
On a museum’s website you can get information about ticket prices and free days. You can also know where the museum is and when it is open. Sometimes you have to click on the words like Visit, Information, or About to find the information. That will be hard work for you. San Francisco has many museums for you to visit and ______.
| A．learn something new | B．play computer games |
| C．watch the movies | D．click on Information |
Some museums in San Francisco are open every day, but some are only open ______.
| A．on weekdays | B．on weekends |
| C．on certain days | D．on holidays |
Many museums have ______ with information about the things you can see in them.
| A．ticket prices | B．their websites |
| C．open hours | D．free days |
Dear College Dean
It is my understanding that this college has received a large donation to be used to enhance (improve) the quality of life for students: expand the bookstore or add computers to the computer lab. It is the tradition of this school to promote education and to be at the vanguard of new technology. That is why I strongly argue in favor of the addition of more computers to the computer lab.
Although expanding the campus bookstore to include CDs, gifts, and a snack bar will give a nicer look to the college, we have to think about a greater goal and a more practical way to enhance the quality of life for students. What do we want for our students and our college? Do we want our college to be known as a place with a great bookstore where you can find CDs and gifts, or as a place where the students can explore and research in their field using the best tools provided by technology? In addition, there are already several snack bars on campus, and there are music stores nearby, so students do not depend on the college bookstore for these things.
We live in a highly technological world and computers play an increasingly important role in how we live. As a learning institution, this college has the responsibility to offer its students the best technology to help them prepare for their future. Many students will be expected to be familiar with the latest software and other tools when they go on to work or to graduate school.
While they are in college, students find they are expected to use computers. Many professors expect students to use computers to do homework or to complete projects. Students are asked to create PowerPoint presentations and use spreadsheets and database programs, as well as to research many topics on the Internet. Since students are competing for good grades, those who have limited access to computers are at a great disadvantage. Furthermore, being able to do projects using the computer enhances the process of learning, giving students the opportunity to find information that without a computer would be much more difficult to find.
If there are more computers, students will also be able to complete their work more efficiently. No more will they have to wait in line, paper and disk in hand, while scanning the room for an empty chair and computer. No longer will they have to sit and wait while an outdated computer struggles to follow their commands. Having more new and faster computers available will enable students to finish their work more quickly.
The more computers are used in society the more colleges will depend on them as a tool of teaching and learning. Making computers more available to students facilitates their learning process by making the process easier, more interesting, more engaging, and in the process enhancing their quality of lifeThe purpose of the author in writing the passage is .
| A．to describe the problems caused by lack of computers |
| B．to explain why students are in great need of computers |
| C．to tell us what benefits students can gain from computers |
| D．to persuade the Dean to purchase more advanced computers |
From the passage we can infer that .
| A．present computers in the college cannot meet the demands of the students |
| B．computers in the college will be updated to meet the student’s demands soon |
| C．the college has the responsibility to help the students to prepare for their future |
| D．it is also necessary to expand the college bookstore by using part of the donation |
In paragraph 4, the author mainly wants to tell us that .
| A．computers are beneficial to students’ academic success |
| B．computers are helpful to student’s competition for success |
| C．students find it convenient to do assignments by using computers |
| D．students wish to use the money to buy more advanced computers |
Which of the following shows the organization of the passage?
